I’ve heard so much about Chef Kwame Onwuachi over the years. A Top Chef alum, he was named Chef of the Year in 2019, featured in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2025, and honored on Zagat and Forbes’ 30 Under 30 lists. His New York restaurant earned three stars, was crowned the number one restaurant in New York by The New York Times, and he is a recipient of the James Beard Award. With so many accolades, I’m almost embarrassed to admit I still haven’t made it to his restaurant Tatania in New York.
Fortunately for us, he opened a new spot in Miami this past September: Las Lap, located at 2216 Park Avenue in South Beach. I’ll be honest — South Beach is not usually my go-to dining destination. I tend to think of it as a bit of a culinary wasteland, and I rarely venture there for meals. But this time, I was willing to make an exception.
The restaurant sits a few blocks off the beach inside a nondescript hotel called The Daydrift, true to Chef Kwame’s affinity for unexpected, off-the-beaten-path locations. Inside, the space is attractive and intimate: narrow, dark, and moody with a tropical, jungle-inspired aesthetic. Red backlit walls, globe-shaped fixtures, dark woods, and green velvet tufted banquettes set the tone, while artwork by Black artists adorns the space. From the moment we walked in, we received a warm, genuinely friendly welcome.
The bar anchors the front of the restaurant, and a charming patio out back features a twinkle-lit tree overlooking the canal. From Thursday through Sunday, rotating DJs play a mix of West Indian, Caribbean, African, and soulful music, each bringing a unique energy to the restaurant.
This is actually the second
Las Lap location; the original opened in 2018 on the Lower East Side in New York. The name “
Las Lap” refers to the final golden hour before Carnival ends in Trinidad and Tobago. Chef Kwame draws on his grandfather’s Trinidadian heritage, creating a West Indies–inspired rum bar with a menu rooted in Caribbean flavors that echo the spirit of the New York original.
The menu is small but thoughtful. There’s a beautifully presented caviar service, and you can add Osetra caviar to any dish for an $80 supplement. The raw and chilled section includes the must-order dish of the night: the South Beach snapper, served over guacamole with a fabulous sauce and crunchy plantain chips. This was the standout dish. The sticky wings from the “To Share” section were also exceptional — truly finger-licking good. Next time, I want to try the crab claws and the oxtail Cuban sandwich.
For our main course, we enjoyed the charred dorade in coconut curry and a side of rice and peas. Everything was delicious and satisfying. The bar continues the West Indies theme, and I loved my Pink Sands cocktail — a refreshing blend of watermelon, lime, ginger, agave, sparkling rosé, and club soda.
My only disappointment was the desserts, which are limited to sorbet, gelato, and a tamarind icebox cake that leaned a bit too heavily on whipped cream.
Overall, it was a vibrant, lively dining experience with Caribbean-inspired coastal flavors expressed through a modern lens. It’s definitely worth checking out.
Happy dining
Shanea
12/20/2025
